


Customer Service Isn’t Exactly My Forte

by bushlaboo



Series: Arrow Goes to the Movies [3]
Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Angst and Humor, F/M, Inspired by a Movie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-26
Updated: 2015-06-26
Packaged: 2018-04-06 05:47:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4210284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bushlaboo/pseuds/bushlaboo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><em>Arrow</em> AU Movie Challenge inspired by <em>Clerks</em>. A day in the life of Felicity Smoak (Tech Village employee) and her friend Sara Lance (physical trainer at the gym next door) as they discuss movies and generally try and avoid doing their actual jobs. Borrowed some dialogue from the movie, because how could I not?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Customer Service Isn’t Exactly My Forte

**Author's Note:**

> This week challenge was indie movies, which made me think _Clerks_ , which had me seeing Felicity working at Tech Village. Not sure what that says about me, but this feels like pure crack fiction.

It was before 9 AM and already Felicity Smoak was having a bad day. Instead of sleeping in on what was supposed to be her day off, curled up against her hot boyfriend – and how exactly she landed a Greek god was still a mystery – she’d been rudely awoken by her ringing cell phone. The ringtone was distinctive – the iconic music from the shower scene from _Psycho_ – alerting her that the call was from her evil boss, Isabel Rochev.

Next to her, said gorgeous boyfriend, groaned and buried his head in her pillows. She’d debated with herself for a half a second about whether or not she should answer, as she admired his muscular back. Even though she hated her job, and was ridiculously over qualified for it, the lowly cashier/technical support position at the small-time Tech Village franchise had been the only one she could get after the small, start-up tech company she’d been working for folded unexpectedly. Somehow, the fact that embezzling brought the company down and not the work she’d been doing, had not gotten through to the dozens of companies she’d interviewed with following the company’s sudden collapse.

Though she hated going to work – it was a soul crushing experience that did not even include health and dental – she needed the job, and she knew that Isabel was looking for any reason she could to fire her. Felicity was not sure what she’d done to irritate the woman, though she often thought her default emotional setting was angry, but she’d been dealing with the fallout for months.

She hadn’t been able to get the word, “Hello,” out of her mouth when Isabel informed her that she needed her to open the store that morning. Felicity had tried to protest, but her boss had steamed rolled right over her. “If you want to maintain your employment you’ll be opening the store Ms. Smoak.” Isabel’s tone had been dispassionate and she ended the call before Felicity could make any sort of response.

Squeezing Gideon tightly in her hand, she fell back into bed, lamenting “Why me?”

A pretty face peeked out from beneath her pillows, “What’s wrong?”

Even though his voice was craggy with sleep, she felt tingles up her spine. Really, any little thing he did caused a reaction; she blamed it on the fact that he was such a fine male specimen. “I got called into work?”

“On your day off,” he frowned. The disgruntled look on his face was adorable as his blue eyes flashed a sad, puppy dog look.

“I know.”

“We had plans,” he growled, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her flush against his side. The feel of his naked flesh against hers caused her brain to short-circuit. His lips started to nuzzle her neck as she struggled to remember anything other than their sexy-times plan of spending the day in bed together.

“Oliver,” she moaned. She felt him smile against her neck at her breathy tone, but he when their eyes met again he was frowning as she was pushing him away instead of drawing him closer.

That action had caused a fight. Not that they hadn’t argued before, but for the most part those disagreements had been minor and usually ended in spectacular make-up sex. This one had gotten ugly and ended bitterly, as she stormed out of her apartment after using her loud voice on Oliver for the first time, in her Tech Village uniform of tan pants and blue button shirt with the store logo and her name stitched into it.

“Isabel hates me. I don’t know why,” she’d been explaining while she dressed much to Oliver’s annoyance. “She said she’d fire me if didn’t go in.” In his ire he finally let it slip that the reason her boss hated her so much was him. Apparently, Isabel been his booty call, before they’d started seeing each other; only the woman hadn’t realized that’s all she was to him.

“Suddenly so much about the last few months makes sense,” she had muttered, the shock numbing her. Their first meeting had been when she accidentally ran into him outside of the store and during that inauspicious meet-cute he told he’d been on his way to gym next store. “How come your boy-toy purchased a membership but never uses it?” Her best friend Sara had asked her early in their relationship. “Or are you giving him enough of workout in bed?” Felicity had blushed at questions and pointedly ignored them, because despite how she all but drooled over Oliver whenever he was near, they’d only been friends – very flirty friends – at that point. She’d meant to ask him about that and why he avoided Tech Village like the plague once they’d gotten together, but he always managed to distract her when she did. And now it made sense. “Wait,” she exclaimed, eyes narrowing dangerously, “were you still doing the beast with two-backs when we started dating?”

“Beast with two-backs?”

“Now is not the time to question my word choice Oliver Queen,” she warned.

“No,” he answered sharply, but there was something about tense look on his face that caused her heart to drop. He’d hinted at his romantic past and considering the way he looked, not to mention the fact she’d watched numerous women hit on him in the months she’d know him, she knew the opportunities available to him. Oliver made it clear, very clear, that he was serious about their relationship. “I wouldn’t risk one of the best friends I ever made if I wasn’t sure about this Felicity,” he told her when she questioned if he was certain that he wanted to ask her on a date-date. She’d decided then and there that his past didn’t matter, and they made the mutual decision not to go into great details about their exs; she realized now what a mistake that had been. And the way he wouldn’t meet her gaze told her there was more. Dreading what would be revealed next, she still found herself asking, “But there was someone else?”

He’d flinched ever so slightly. “Felicity—”

She shook her head. “The truth please Oliver or we’re over.”

The panic that crossed his stubbled face made her breath catch. “I, it wasn’t … Felicity,” he said her name hopefully, reaching for her. She stepped back and his eyes shuttered. Shoulders sagging, he confessed, “I’d been with someone the night before.”

Confused she asked, “The night before?”

Oliver took a deep breath before meeting her gaze again. “I slept with someone the night before I asked you out.”

Not ideal, Felicity thought, but since they hadn’t been together then it was just another piece of his past. His much vaster past than she realized, but that was something she could deal with, as soon as she was done looping over Isabel. “Okay,” she replied, uncertain if she offered the word as statement or question.

When he tensed at her response, she knew the other foot was about to drop. She waited, normally she was one to the fill their silences, usually with babble, but for once words were lost to her. He sighed and finally began filling in the blanks. “I didn’t return her calls or texts. After a week or so she tracked me down and I probably should have apologized for not getting back to her, but instead I was jerk. I told her it was just a one-night stand. When she insisted it could be more, I told her it couldn’t because I was in relationship with someone else.”

Again, it wasn’t a deal-breaker. Oliver might have acted like a douche with this woman, but he’d never once treated her in that manner. He’d always been polite and respectful, and yeah, the fact that he could be a dick to others wasn’t a great character trait, but she’d been known to be a bitch on occasion herself. “The timing sucks, I’m not going to lie about that, but I’m still trying to figure out what the big deal is Oliver.” Huh, guess I got my words back, she mused.

“Carrie.”

“Huh?”

“Carrie Cutter—”

“Crazy Carrie, Sara’s co-worker who’s been …” Felicity’s words trailed off as she finally understood. Carrie who’d been attempting to terrorize her friend at work – Sara was pretty unflappable though and both women knew Sara could take Carrie – and made snide comments to her whenever she stopped in the gym to get Sara for lunch.

Oliver slept with Crazy Carrie, who’d earned that nickname long before she even knew who he was, and he heard Sara and her tell tales about her numerous times when they’d been hanging out as friends. He knew what a nightmare the stunning redhead was and he slept with Carrie anyhow and then proceeded to ask her out. Her logical mind could not compute that information, Felicity could only feel. Disbelief. Hurt. Fury.

She’d deployed her loud voice after that and as she marched towards Tech Village she could not recall a single word that had come out of her mouth.

* * *

Felicity managed to bring her boiling rage down to a simmer by the time she completed the store opening process. “Looking a little peeved this morning Blondie,” her young stock clerk called out as he entered the store.

“You’re late Roy,” she snapped. His eyes widened at her tone. He let out a whistle, before remarking, “Someone got up on the wrong side of the bed this morning.”

Glaring at him, she replied, “I’m not even supposed to be here today Harper, so watch it!”

“Okay, okay,” he acquiesced throwing up his hands in submission. She continued to scowl at him as he made his way to the employee room in the back to get his smock. At least I don’t have to wear one of those, she thought gratefully, because remembering that it would be her and Roy for most of the day because of the other employees who’d called off sick. “More like hungover,” she grumbled under her breath.

When the electronic bell singled the door opening again Felicity cursed all customers and their stupid faces. Not wanting to deal with the general public, especially the technically inept public, she ducked behind the checkout counter. “Guess who’s getting married, Cutie,” Sara called.

Felicity popped up. Sara’s attention was focused on the newspaper in front of her so she missed her ridiculous display. Relieved that she wouldn’t have to explain that she tried to put on a happy face because she really didn’t feel like talking about how her morning started. Instead she asked the obvious question, “How’d you know I was here? It’s supposed to be my day off.”

Folding the paper down, Sara waggled her eyebrows at her, “I have my ways.” Her friend’s saucy tone improved her mood some. “Married, who is?”

“Jeopardy or Yoda?” Felicity countered.

“Trivia games and sci-fi are your specialties not mine. Now guess Cutie,” she ordered.

“You know _Star Wars_ counts as an action adventure as well and that is your forte.”

“Quit stalling and use that big brain of yours to come up with some suggestions,” Sara insisted as she crossed over to the counter. Felicity pursed her lips and purposely drew her eyebrows together, putting on her thinking face as Sara liked to call it. Her friend grinned at her, as she hopped up on the counter, coming to sit cross-legged on it as she waited.

“Tommy finally popped the question and your sister is getting married.”

“Close, really close since I went ring shopping with him yesterday, but no cigar.”

“What? Really? Why didn’t you say anything?” Felicity asked the questions in quick succession. The good news acted as a balm to her earlier feelings. So much so, she was bouncing on her feet when she asked the last question.

Sara rolled her eyes, “It’s a secret. Like that is gonna last when Tommy asks Dad’s permission. Either Dad will kill him because he’s not good enough for her or Laurel will for being so archaic. ”

“I think it’s sweet. And while no man would be good enough for Quentin Lance’s girls, your dad will appreciate Tommy respecting tradition.”

“Men,” Sara piffed. “Now guess again?”

Chuckling, Felicity shifted through the people they both knew who were in relationships that could be anywhere near that big step. “Iris?”

“Have you seen the looks she’s been throwing Barry of late?” At her perplexed look, Sara added, “They’re not actually related. I think that finally dawned on her.”

Felicity felt her mouth forming an ‘o’ as understanding dawned. She knew that Barry had feelings for Iris; it had been the major reason why even though they liked each other and had some pretty wicked chemistry, they decided not to date. “That will make for some fun viewing.”

“Sara our friends’ lives are not for our entertainment.” When Sara waved her off, Felicity put on her disappointed face.

“All the world's a stage, and all the men and women merely players.” Exasperated by the other blonde’s nonchalant attitude Felicity decided to prep the drawers a second time and ignore her. After a few minutes of busy work Sara spoke again, “You’re no fun.” She hopped down off the counter, “I have to get to work.”

“You were supposed to be there fifteen minutes ago.”

Sara shrugged her shoulders, when she reached door she turned back to look at Felicity, “Last announcement on the bottom left of the page.” The playful gleam was gone from Sara’s eyes, the blue orbs appeared worried. Before she could get a word out, Sara was out the door and the store was quiet except for the sounds of Roy righting the shelves.

Considering how her morning started, Felicity was apprehensive about looking at the newspaper Sara left. She hated mysteries though, they needed to be solved. She took a moment to steel herself before she dragged the paper across the counter. She scanned the printed words until she found the announcement Sara referenced. There in mocking block font was the proclamation that Cooper Seldon was engaged to the woman she caught him cheating on her with … she remembered the words of Cooper’s college roommate “life is a series of down endings” and for the first time in her life she thought Myron Forest might be right.

* * *

An hour later Felicity was in the aisles with Roy straightening the displays because she needed something to keep her mind busy so she wouldn’t spiral out thinking about her relationships – current and past. Happily, Roy kept up a steady stream of chatter, he was one of the few employees at Tech Village that could keep up in the pop culture discussions she and Sara had; while they worked in tandem and she remembered again why she liked the younger man.

“Why do chicks always think the best baseball movie is _Field of Dreams_?” he mused.

Felicity cleared her throat, “Chicks?” she chided. She watched an adorable pink flush spread across his cheeks.

“Gir—women,” he corrected quickly. “Why do women think that?”

“Kevin Costner,” she replied with a grin. Roy rolled his sky blue eyes, “Really?” She chuckled, “Yep,” she answered with a popping ‘p.’

“Disgusting,” he muttered under his breath as the bell signaled. Since he was closer, he leaned pass the mouth of the aisle to get a look at the customer who’d entered the store. Felicity watched as a scowl marred his handsome face. He ducked back into the aisle and whispered, “Your stalker is here. Want me to get rid of him?”

Of course, she thought, her outrage returning and stomach rolling. As if this day was not bad enough, Ray Palmer had to show up. He’d been trying to recruit her to work at Palmer Technologies, and under normal circumstances she would have jumped at the opportunity to do real work again. It had been so long Felicity was starting to worry that she was losing IQ points. However, from the first time he approached her – here at Tech Village – it had been clear that he was more interested in dating her than employing her. Even after she told him flat out that she was relationship, he hadn’t been deterred.

If it had been any other day, Felicity would have loved to see Roy chase him from the store; but today, she relished the chance to take out some of her ire on him. “Thanks,” she said squeezing his shoulder, “but I’ve got this.”

“What are you doing here?” she snapped stepping out into the main floor area.

“Felicity, hi,” he waved and started towards her.

“Unless you’re here to purchase something you need to leave, because I’m not going to tell you for the thousandth time that I am **_not_** going to work for you.”

He stopped and offered her a sheepish smile, “I’m actually here for tech support. It seems that all of my data has been replaced with audio files of porcupine flatulence.”

Crossing her arms in front of her, she eyed him with distaste. “And you want my help?” she asked, tapping her foot, making her annoyance plain. His smile dropped.

“I was hoping that whoever did it might be willing to undo it if I apologized for being overzealous.”

She scoffed at him. “That would probably work if you called your _overzealous_ actions what they were and if I believed you had any intention of ending your stalker-ish ways. Since I don’t see that happening I suggest you get out and get used to the sound of spiky rodents farting.” With that said, she turned on heel and marched back to the employee room at the back of store. Felicity went straight to her locker and rested her forehead against it. She took a few deep breaths to settle her nerves.

A few minutes later Roy joined her. “Nicely done Blondie. Though glaring him out of the story would have been fun too.”

A chuckle escaped her, as she turned to beam at him. “Thanks, Roy.”

* * *

A couple hours later Sara showed up with dim sum. “Best apology ever, right?” she offered with a hopeful smile.

“Only because I’m hungry,” she replied snagging one of the bags from her. Roy joined her and Sara on the floor and invited himself to their lunch with a, “Don’t you ever work?” as he swiped the pork dumplings.

“I will hurt you if you eat all of them,” Sara warned, though her voice was teasing her crystal eyes were deadly serious.

“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbled as he chewed. Once he swallowed, he picked up the thread of their earlier conversation. “Kevin Coaster is really the reason all the folks with ladies parts think _Field of Dreams_ is the best baseball movie?’

Sara smacked the back his head, “No. Ladies parts like _For Love of the Game_ , real film aficionados like _Field of Dreams_.”

“I don’t see why this is even an issue,” Felicity cut in before Roy could comment, “he’s in all man parts favorite baseball movie.” At her companions curious looks she added, “ _Bull Durham_.”

“Huh, that is scarily accurate,” Roy concurred. “Pork dumpling?” he asked holding out the box of tasty goodness.

Their lunch continue like that for another twenty minutes before another customer entered the store. The lithe, long-haired brunette in a leather jacket wandered the aisles for a few minutes before coming to stand in front of the DVD display. The three of them continued to watch her idly from the floor. “It’s a computer store,” Sara lamented, “why do you even sell movies?”

“Because your laptop has become your TV,” Roy suggested.

“I thought your phone became your TV and your computer,” Sara replied.

“Yeah, but who wants to watch popcorn-munching action sequences on such a tiny screen,” Felicity threw out.

“That’s a valid point,” Sara said giving her shoulder a nudge. “And for that, I’ll handle this indecisive customer for you.”

“You’re my hero Sara,” Felicity and Roy sing-songed together at her. “Dorks,” she deadpanned, ruffling Roy’s hair as she got up.

“This should be fun,” Roy snickered, as they watched Sara approach the girl.

The brunette must of sensed Sara or saw her out of her peripheral vision because she started to talk to her before Sara called out a greeting. “They say so much, but they never tell you if it's any good,” she said flashing the back of a DVD case at Sara. “Do you know if this is any good?”

Sara let out an “Ah?” causing Roy to bite back a laugh.

The girl tried again, “Do you know if this any good?”

Sara shrugged her shoulders, and remarked “I don't watch movies.”

Felicity bit her lip and tucked her head into Roy’s shoulders so the girl wouldn’t be able to see the amused look on her face from across the room.

She could hear annoyance in the brunette’s voice when she asked, “Well, have you heard anything about it?”

“I find it's best to stay out of other people's affairs.” Felicity felt Roy shaking at Sara’s response as he fought not to laugh out loud himself.

“You mean you haven't heard anybody say anything about it?”

“Nope.”

Exasperation in her tone, Felicity heard her ask, “Well, what about these two?”

“Oh, they suck,” Sara offered gleefully.

“These are the same two movies! You weren't paying any attention,” she exclaimed, her voice raising a few octaves.

“No, I wasn't,” Sara agreed.

“I don't think your manager would appreciate it if—”

“I don't appreciate your ruse, ma'am,” Sara said cutting her off.

“I beg your pardon?” Her indignant tone had Felicity looking up at the two women.

“Your ruse,” Sara replied with a sharp grin. “Your cunning attempt to trick me.”

“I was only pointing out that you weren't paying any attention to what I was saying,” the customer replied, glaring daggers at Sara.

“And I hope it feels good.”

“You hope _what_ feels good?”

“I hope it feels so good to be right. There's nothing more exhilarating than pointing out the shortcomings of others, is there?” Sara asked pointedly.

The woman threw the DVD on back on the shelf. “This is the last time I come here.”

“You'll be sorely missed,” Sara stated as the woman stormed towards the entrance.

“Screw you!” she screeched yanking the door open. Roy’s laughter started to echo off the store walls before the door closed.

Even though it was real possibility that Isabel could hear about the exchange, Felicity decided not to care and joined her friends in their peals of laughter.

* * *

After their lunch Roy said he’d look after the store so that she and Sara could relax for a bit on the roof. The employees of the Tech Village had created a play area up there including a sandbox and kiddie pool – our very own private beach they joked – there was also a hibachi grill, tiki bar with stools, and various games: gloves and baseballs, Frisbees, croquette mallets and balls, and hockey sticks, nets and few rollerballs.

She and Sara were setting up to play some hockey; normally they’d be sipping from the stash of root beer sitting with their feet in the pool, but Felicity craved activity. “Feel like hitting the trivia challenge at Jitters with me tonight?”

Sara scrunched her nose. “Not my scene remember.” Felicity nodded and they started to play.

Fifteen minutes later she was sweating as she leaned over panting, trying to catch her breath. She’d forgotten how seriously Sara took any kind of competition. That might be why she avoided trivia night. Sara did not like to lose.

“How did you get me to do this again?”

“Super sexy boyfriend,” Sara replied cheekily.

“Yeah, right. Him,” she squeaked, feeling all of the pain from earlier and none of the anger.

“What’s wrong, Cutie?” Sara asked crossing to her. “I thought things with you and Oliver were good.” Felicity shook her head. “Damn! I wouldn’t have dropped the Cooper bomb earlier if I’d known. I really thought we’d laugh that off with how you traded up. What happened? Do I need to teach him a lesson?”

“He slept with Isabel and Crazy Carrie.”

“He cheated,” Sara seethed, murder darkening her eyes.

“What? NO! He slept with them before we started dating.”

Felicity watched as Sara took a moment to process, her mood going from murderous to confused. “Not ideal.”

“I know, and I’m not mad about that … well not entirely,” she admitted. “I knew he had a past. We all do. I mad because we warned him about Carrie and he slept with her anyhow, and when I complained about Isabel and not knowing why she suddenly hated me and was doing her best to drive me from a job I _need_ , he didn’t fess up that he ended their booty-call relationship – one she thought was serious – right before we met.”

“Wow. That was a lot words, even for one of your babbles.”

“Not helpful Sara,” she glowered.

“Sorry,” her friend replied and offered her quick, gentle squeeze. “When did you learn about this?”

“This morning, after I got called in on my day off. I was handling it marginally well before I realized Carrie’s behavior towards you changed after they hooked up. I sort of saw red and, honestly, I have no idea what I said to Oliver before I stormed out.”

“Wait? Doesn’t the mean he slept with her right before he asked you out? Like _right_ before?”

“Pretty much.”

“I’ll slaughter him!”

“Sara …”

“I can’t believe him,” she said throwing the hockey stick down. “I tell him to man up or stop mooning over you and the jerk sleeps with Crazy Carrie before he asks you out?”

“You did what now?”

“Shit!” Sara hissed kicking the rollerball into the net.

* * *

“Someone jammed gum in the locks,” Roy remarked as Sara hurried through the store.

“Whatever,” she grumbled as she stalked out of Tech Village.

“Sara?” he questioned. “Really? Bunch of savages in this town,” he grumbled as he went back to scratching at the gum.

“You know, I'm not even supposed to be here today,” Felicity said from behind him. Her crap day had gone from bad to worse. She had no idea where she stood with Oliver, her cheating ex-boyfriend was getting married, she was working for evil incarnate at a job she loathed, and now she was fighting with her best friend; who was really to blame for all of this because she was the one to put a bug in Oliver’s ear about dating her in the first place.

Sara had not taken that logic very well and all Felicity wanted was copious amounts of red wine and a pints of mint chocolate chip ice cream. The combination would undoubtedly make her sick, but they were her go to comforts. Drunk and full on ice cream sounded pretty darn perfect right about now.

“You don’t say? Oh wait, you have. Repeatedly,” her cohort observed.

“I really don’t need your sass right now Roy.”

“Then go somewhere else, I’m busy,” he said indicating the gum filled locked.

Felicity spun on her heels, “Whatever,” she offered as she walked away. She missed Roy looking skyward and his dejectedly huffed, “Women.”

* * *

Back on the roof Felicity checked Gideon. No missed calls or texts from Oliver. That was, she wasn’t exactly sure. She felt their relationship had started under false pretenses now. Would he have even thought about asking her out if Sara hadn’t pushed him? They’d flirted, and he seemed to take a lot of enjoyment in her unintentional innuendos, but she hadn’t really thought she was his type. She didn’t have the rail thin, model good looks of Isabel or the sultry, seductive curves of Crazy Carrie. And was it demeaning to all women-kind and against feminism if she referred to another woman as Crazy Carrie? If they earned it, Felicity didn’t think it was, though that was a question she’d normally ask Sara and she couldn’t now because they were fighting.

And they never fought. It wasn’t that she and Sara agreed on everything, far from it. They had a ‘agree to disagree’ relationship, even if Sara thought her fear of kangaroos was completely ridiculous she respected Felicity’s right to have it.

Unlike with Oliver, Felicity actually remembered what she said to Sara and she felt horrible about it. Especially the comment she made to make her friend leave. She’d been such a bitch. Felicity wanted to blame her horrible morning, or Ray Palmer, or well just about anything – like her stupid, cheater ex-boyfriend Cooper – but herself; but she was the one who was reacting without thinking and ruining the most important relationships in her life.

Felicity had no idea how to fix things and in Oliver’s case if she should. “Frack me.”

* * *

“You got the gum out!” As far as apologies went that wasn’t a great way to start she knew. When Roy only looked at her quizzically, she stumbled on. “Good work. Erm, you do great work. Above and beyond anyone else here.”

“Thanks, I guess.”

“Sorry.”

“For complimenting me?” he asked ruefully.

“No,” she exclaimed with a playful push. “For being short with you … for well, most of the shift, and taking out my bad mood on you. I shouldn’t have.”

“It’s all right Blondie.”

“Roy—”

“Nope,” he grinned. “That’s your punishment. I get to call you Blondie now.”

“Can’t I feed you for a week?” she said in attempted to bargain with him.

“Convince Thea to go out with me and I’ll reconsider, otherwise, not happening. _Blondie_.”

* * *

Though she no longer felt like it, Felicity changed into the spare summer dress she kept in her locker and headed to Jitters for trivia night. She could only hope that the distraction of obscure, random questions and some of her favorite people would take the edge off of her horrific day. She tried to ignore the fact that neither Oliver nor Sara had reached out.

In terms of Sara, extending the olive branch was on her, but for someone who used an exorbitant amount of words she couldn’t find the right ones to express her remorse. As Jitters came into view she stopped and pulled out her phone. As she unlocked it she considered what she could possible say to get any kind of response from her friend.

Felicity found herself getting hypnotized by the blinking cursor in the text message field. Suddenly, she recalled a pickup line Sara shared with her once. It was her guaranteed, never failed once line. If anything could help them mend fences, Felicity was sure it could. As she typed the words, Felicity could feel some the tension she’d been carrying drain out of her. She read over the words one last time, “I'm offering you my body and you're offering me semantics,” before she hit send.

“Felicity,” Barry called out as he crossed the street. He greeted her with a quick hug and a, “I’m so glad you decided to join us tonight.”

Fifteen minutes ago her words would have been false, but now with a semblance of hope that she could fix this nightmare of day, she meant them. “Me too.”

* * *

“Come on Cutie,” Sara said, directing her into the entryway of her apartment building. Felicity snuggled into her friend’s side. “I still cannot believe you came to trivia night. Or that we won. E=Mc Hammer is da bomb!”

“No one says da bomb anymore,” Sara remarked sardonically.

Felicity giggled. “You just did.”

“Not on purpose, that was you.”

“The red wine was all you though,” she pointed out as Sara navigated them into the elevator.

“Well since make-up sex is not an option, celebratory drinking was our only choice.”

“We could have tried the sex.” The shocked look on her friend’s face had her cackling. “I did offer you my body,” she hiccuped with a waggle of her brows.

“Felicity Smoak you slut,” Sara teased. “If you’re not careful I might take you up on that offer.”

“Anytime … well anytime I’m this drunk,” she offered, taking a deep sniff of Sara silky tresses.

“And moments like this are how you earned your nickname, Cutie.” The elevator dinged and Sara half dragged, half carried her towards her door.

She could feel Sara fighting to hold her up as she struggled to unlock her door. They both lost their balance and fell into Oliver when he pulled the door open unexpectedly. Felicity felt his arms wrap around them as he steady them. She titled her head up to look at him, his brow was furled but he was here, in her apartment, waiting for her. “You’re here,” she cried happily. She leaned up on her toes and placed a wet kiss on his cheek.

“Make-up threesome?” Sara asked at her display.

“What?” Oliver choked out.

“I kind of offered her my body. It was my way of apologizing, though honestly if anyone gets it, I want it to be you,” she told him. “No offense Sara. Also, I’m not good with sharing him.”

Sara tucked the hair that had fallen in her face behind her ear. “No offense taken. Mr. Tall and Broody is cute all, but I’ve got a curvy, raven haired beauty waiting on me.”

“Ooh, you finally hit on Nyssa?”

“I was feeling aggressive after our fight. Apparently that works for her,” Sara said with grin. “So thanks for that.”

Felicity planted a sloppy kiss on her cheek, “Anything for you.”

“Enjoy the make-up sex,” she offered them with a wink before leaving.

“We’re having make-up sex?” Oliver asked half-hopefully, though even in her inebriated state she could read the nerves in his cerulean eyes.

“Do I have anything to apologize for before we do?”

He let out another, “What?”

“I don’t really remember what I said before I left. Not because of the drinking – so _much_ drinking – Sara’s fault. I kind of saw red and it’s all a blank, so if I said anything horrible that I need to apologize for, tell me.”

“There was just a jumble of words that didn’t really fit together. I got that you were disappointed and mad, but if you were trying to insult me you didn’t really get the words out.”

Well that’s a relief. “Why?” he inquired. “I said that out loud huh?”

Oliver stroked her cheek as he maneuvered her closer into him. “Your mouth getting away with you is one of your more endearing qualities.”

“That right there is why you’re the perfect boyfriend.”

“Even after this morning?” he prompted.

She narrowed her eyes at him. “You should have told me about Isabel when I mentioned how she’d been treating me.”

“I know,” he sighed. “I just thought you’d hate me if you knew about her and Carrie.”

“You’re allowed your past Oliver, but if it is affecting my present you have to tell me. Promise me that, a glass of water and some aspirin and you can have all the make-up sex you can handle.”

His hand curled on her hip and his eyes darkened with desire. “Really?”

She briefly considered clarifying the whole did Sara convince you to date me thing, but Felicity realized that she should be grateful to her friend if her prodding got Oliver to ask her out; even if that was case, the way Oliver looked at her, touched her, treated her could not be feigned. “Really,” she purred.

“I promise,” he whispered leaning in for a kiss.

She pulled back him, “Water and aspirin.”

Laughing he scooped her up in his arms. “After the first round,” he promised, nibbling on her neck.

For a day that had begun so horribly, the evening certainly turned out to be one of her best.


End file.
